The Undying Wish
by Luna Rebooted
Summary: A missing child, an adult that is turned into a child, a tragic story about a family torn apart and a wish... A wish that could destroy the power of resetting the timeline and finally enjoy the happy ending. (Takes place after Neutral Route)
1. Chapter 1

What will you do when you hear a child cry? Most think that a crying child is the worst noise in the world. I would have to agree, but to a point. It really depends why the child is crying. Sure, kids are selfish to a default, but most are also very caring and sweet. I say most, because... Well... Some kids are just plain mean. Some are even... Evil.  
So, naturally, when I hear a child cry when I'm in the middle of a hike with friends, my first instinct is to rush over and help that kid. However, I forgot to check where I was going and fell into a cave. There was no hope that I could survive such a fall. Or... So I thought...

When I opened my eyes, a saw a tiny glint of sunlight. There was a chill in the air. I was laying on a bed of flowers. Did I die here...? When I got up, I had to investigate. That's when a realized my clothes were suddenly huge on me. The only thing that stayed on was my tank top and vest. Luckily, my tank top made quite a lovely dress. As I made my way forward, a large doorway with strange carvings came into view. Curious, I entered. Another beam of light shone down and spotlighted a big golden flower. It was beginning to wilt... The way it leaned over to one side... I almost felt bad for it. I took my water bottle that remained in my vest pocket and poured just a bit of water on it.  
"Grow strong, okay?" I said to it. Of course, I knew it was just a flower. Flowers don't really feel anything, but they're still alive. Nothing else caught my attention, so I continued forward. Such a strange place... Puzzles and traps that were already solved... The tunnels were lit up so well, but I couldn't find the light source. What a weird little place... I wonder why no one has seen this on Mt. Ebott. This mountain has been here for many years... Finally, I found a small river. I ran to the edge, in hopes I can fill my water bottle back up. Instead, I got quite the surprise.  
Remember when I said my clothes suddenly didn't fit? Well... It looks like I've been turned into a child. I yelped and flew back, flinging my water bottle across the room. How? And why?! My heart beat so violently I thought it was going to explode. After recovering from the shock, I rushed to the other side of the room to fetch my bottle. Suddenly, I heard distant voices ahead...

"So, do you miss him? It's been a while since..." One of the voices trailed off. There was a sigh.

"I'd hate to admit it, but... I'm afraid so... I knew he was scared, but I... Oh, I wished I could have done something..." A different voice replied. It sounded much more softer than the other voice. I followed them, my curiosity growing stronger.

"Hey, it's not your fault. I don't know if any of us could have prevented it from happening." The more male voice comforted.

"I suppose you're right... I just wish the human would have stayed... They were so nice..." The other said.

"Yeah, they were... Maybe they'll come back. We'll see."

It was quiet for a while. I got close enough to see their shadows. One was tall with small horns, the other was short and a bit round.

"Hey, sorry this got sad. It was just-"

"Don't worry about it. I anticipated the question. Sooner or later, someone had to ask. I must be ready to answer. However... I am glad it was you who finally voiced the question."

"I just think they're all a bit scared to ask, honestly. It just kinda... Happened. No one knew when to ask." There was a pause.

"I suppose you're right..." The tall shadow stopped and looked around. "Well, it seems there is nothing else here to recover. Thank you for accompanying me."

"No problem. I've never seen the Ruins before. It's pretty cool that you actually live here for a while." The shorter shadow turned to the taller one. There was a small, light laugh.

"It's sweet of you to think so. Wait... Do you hear that...?" There was I pause. I froze. I didn't realize I was stepping on dried up red leaves. They must've heard the leaves crunch under my foot while following them. I was too afraid to move. When I looked back up, I saw a white, smiling face and a pair of small, white dots surrounded in darkness. I couldn't help but to scream and fall back. Before the monster could react, I threw my water bottle at him and ran for it.

"Oooww..." He grumbled. I hid behind a pile of rocks and took a peek. It was a skeleton, wearing a blue hoodie, white shirt and black shorts. Oh great, someone died down here and became a zombie!

"Sans?! Are you all right? What happened?" A woman's voice called. Sans sat up, rubbing his head. A tall goat-like monster scurried over to him. He managed to get up on his own and looked around.

"Where'd she go...?" He mumbled. The goat tilted her head.

"She? Whatever do you mean? There's someone else here?" Sans nodded.

"A human, I think. She threw something at me before I could actually get a good look..." He replied, continuing to nurse his head. The goat gazed around the area, then smiled softly.

"Do not fear, my child. We will not harm you. Won't you please show yourself?" She pleaded. I gulped and slowly stepped out from my hiding spot. Once the skeleton looked over at me, I squeaked and retreated to my hiding spot. Skeletons are so creepy... "Child, what do you fear? We will not harm you. It's safe here."

"Uh, Toriel. I think she's afraid of one of us." The skeleton explained.

"Oh? How can that be?" The woman asked. "We don't look scary, do we?"

"Well, maybe not you. I think the human is afraid of me." He said. Damn right.

"What? But you aren't scary at all! I'm afraid I do not quite understand..." Toriel muttered, confused.

"Ah, don't worry about it. I'm pretty sure you're safe here, she was just spooked. Besides, it's getting a little warm in here. I'm practically bone dry!" Sans replied. Toriel laughed loud enough that the Ruins began to echo. I listened until I couldn't hear Sans' footsteps anymore then peeked back out. There stood the goat monster, alone. She smiled at me and got down on her knees.

"It's all right, my child. You are safe here." She assured. I stepped out of my hiding spot and meekly made my way towards her. She seemed so calm and so kind... "You're afraid, aren't you? There, there... Don't fret any longer. You'll be safe here with me." She pulled me into a hug. "It's going to be okay." I have never felt this calm and safe before... I was reminded of home before I slowly fell asleep in her arms.  
Where is that child? Why was I transformed into a child? Why am I slowly forgetting how I got here in the first place? Hopefully, this place will give me some answers... And I'll be able to save the lost child here.


	2. Chapter 2

When I opened my eyes, I'm in a child's bedroom. The bed was so soft, it practically engulfed me. I crawled out of the bed, curious to see more of the room. There was a little box with all kinds of toys at the foot of the bed. a small closet beside my bed and beside that was a wooden box full of shoes. Looking down at my dress/tank top, I decided to actually change into some clothes that fit me. All I found in the closet were either sweaters or baggy T-shirts and shorts. I decided on a black T-shirt, blue shorts and a pair of bright yellow sneakers. Now the bigger question... Should I keep my vest or not...?  
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. I scurried over to the toy box and pulled out a rubber ball. I hope to God it's not that skeleton again... The door creaked open and Toriel's head popped out. She smiled at me.

"Having fun playing with your toys? I thought I heard you moving around here." She said gently. I put the ball back in the box. My luck turned sour; the skeleton peeked around the door as well. I let out a yelp and hid underneath the blankets. I heard a sigh.  
"I'm so sorry Sans. I was so sure that she wasn't afraid of you..." Toriel murmured sadly.

"Welp, she's just a kid. Probably only saw not so friendly skeletons in cartoons or something." Sans sighed.

"Th-That's not it..." I mumbled. I peeked out from under the blanket. "I... It was Halloween and some kid had a skeleton costume... It had horns and..." I shuddered at the memory of it. It was a teenage boy and I was only seven at the time. The guy was really into costumes so he made his extra scary. He was handing out full-sized candy bars at his house, but no one dared to go near him. I only went up to him because I was dared to... I remembered how the eyes glowed in their sockets and the way he spoke... Ngh... I suddenly felt a hand on my head. I looked up, seeing Sans smile at me. I got chills down my spine.

"Hey, don't worry kiddo. No one's gonna hurt ya." He assured me. He didn't seem threatening, but... I took cover in the blanket.

"S-Sorry..." I mumbled, shuddering. I felt a depression in the mattress.

"There, there my child... As much as it pains me to say it, we cannot stay here much longer. You see... I am the queen of the underground. I only came back to the Ruins to reclaim some of my possessions. We have to journey back to the palace. I wish I could take you with me, but I'm afraid we will have to part in Snowdin." Toriel explained, sadly as she patted my head. "Unless, you would like to stay with me." I poked my head out. Stay here? I'm not entirely sure if I could... My friends are probably worried about me, but... I feel like there's so much to do here. Besides, I have to find that child and save them, if I can.

"I... I don't know. I came here because... There was a kid, or at least I heard one." I replied. There was a moment of complete silence.

"A... Child? I'm afraid there hasn't been a child here for a while. If there was, someone would have found them by now." Toriel explained. Well, that doesn't make me feel any better. She patted my head again. "You must have heard them elsewhere." She might be right... I could have sworn I heard them down here though...

"Well, what'cha gonna do kid?" Sans asked. I thought for a while. Go with Toriel, or stay in a place called Snowdin? Due to my silence, Toriel spoke up,

"Well, you can decide once we get there. I'll go bake us a pie. Sans, care to help me?"

"Sure thing." With that, the two left me to my room. I wrapped myself in the blanket. Geeze, this is all getting a bit weird... I knew I heard a kid crying... I began to doze off due to the warmth and fell back asleep for a short nap.  
I don't remember much of what I dreamt, but I do remember hearing a conversation between two kids.

"Hey, you'll save me, right? I've been waiting for so long for someone like you to show up. Please... Get me out from here!"

"Don't listen to them Lizzy! They just want to use you! Save the monsters, not the kid! The monsters need you more than ever!"

"I didn't get a chance to be myself, Lizzy. Please, you gotta give me another chance. I'll find a way to repay you."

"No! Lizzy, don't listen to them please!"

The dream startled me awake. I felt sick. How did they know my name? Well, it was a dream, right? My dream, my head, my mind. Of course they knew my name, because I knew my name. Yet... It was still insanely creepy. Recalling the argument, I snuck out of my room and seared for a way out. I overheard Toriel and Sans from what I assume was the kitchen.

"Could there be another child here Sans? What if they're hiding in the Ruins?"

"Toriel... We've looked all over. The only kid we found was her. I don't think the other human is coming back."

"It's just... If it was them, do you think they called for the girl? Maybe because she's really the one who can help us?"

"Maybe. I'm not sure to be honest."

I bit my lip and tip toed down the stairs. Once I was at the bottom I scurried down the hallway and went out the doorway. Another spotlight from above shone on top of a small hill. Similar to the second room I was in- the one with the big golden flower. It felt somehow lonely in this room... I shook it off and went straight outside.


	3. Chapter 3

It was cold. A sheet of whiteness surrounded by fences of trees. Looking up, I could see all the branches tangling together, blocking what little sun there was. Was it even daytime still? The cold bit at my legs and ears. Now i understood why there were sweaters in that closet, despite the Ruins being a bit humid. It's been so long since I've seen the snow. I haven't seen it since I was a kid. I mean... When I was first a kid. We traveled to Nevada to attend my uncle's wedding. I remember playing in the snow, making snowmen and throwing snow in the air. I remember the log cabin and staying in front of the fireplace, wrapped in a blanket and enjoying a cup of hot chocolate.

... I wonder if I'll ever see that place again?

I stopped, rubbing my arms to keep them warm. I should have taken my vest, but it's too late to go back now. A child needs me here. No creepy skeleton, sweet goat mom or even the snow will stop me!

"Achoo!" I sniffed. Okay, maybe the snow might stop me a little, but I'll keep going forward! "Achoo!" Nevermind, I think I'm going to die. I crossed over a bridge which was fenced up, but the bars were so far apart, I slipped right on through. In the distance, I saw a figure. It was short, and a little round... Oh no. Not him again. Before I could run and hide, he turned to be. I stood, frozen (heh) in my tracks. Sans' smile seemed to grow.

"So, here's where you ran off to, huh?" He said. My voice was caught in my throat. I wanted to say something, but the words just couldn't form. Was I afraid of him? Or was I afraid that he caught me? He shut his eyes for a moment and turned his gaze elsewhere. "You know, she was worried about you. When you weren't in your room, she was so scared. It reminded me of something..." There was silence for a while. He closed his eyes again. Something about his attitude now is really starting to creep me out now... When his eye opened, there was nothing but dark voids.  
"You're not what you seem, are you?" He mumbled. I wanted to scream, I wanted to run away. Instead, I uttered,

"No... I'm not a kid. I'm... Nineteen years old, almost twenty..." He was silent for a few more moments. Suddenly, the light returned to his eye sockets.

"Wow. You're pretty old." He chuckled. What?! Old?! Fifty is old! He laughed at my obvious disgusted expression. "What's wrong, something wrong with your old bones?" He cackled. Fed up with his mockery, a gathered up some snow into my hands and threw a snowball at him. He blocked it with his sleeve. "Okay, okay, calm down. I was only joking!" I crossed my arms and huffed.

"Whatever, you... You..." I stammered. Sans continued to grin at me. "You numb-SKULL." I finished. He cackled some more. I felt terrible yet incredibly awesome for saying that.

"Hey, not bad. You're pretty cool, I guess. Glad you threw something softer at me that time." He stated. Oh yeah, the water bottle.

"Sorry about that..." I muttered. He shrugged, putting his hands in his pockets.

"No worries. At least it explains the way you've been behaving." Sans stated. "Most kids seem to think skeletons are cool. Adults, not so much. They're used to thinking that monsters aren't real, huh?" Something panged inside my chest.  
That's right... When I was little, I always thought there was some kind of monster in my room. Not anywhere specific, just somewhere. Every kid goes through that, right? Monsters under the bed, or in your closet. Your parents tell you it's just your imagination or that they're simply not there. We grow up being told that. Now the only monsters adults seem to be remotely interested in is demons. Weird, right?

"Anyway," Sans said, snapping me from my thoughts. "You don't seem to be afraid of me anymore, huh?" I stared at him for a few moments. Hey, he's right. I don't feel that same dread I did just moments ago. Could it be that... He's a total dork who makes terrible puns? Nah, that can't only be it. Whatever the reason, I felt more relaxed around him than I did before.

"Yeah, you're pretty cool yourself." I replied.

"Aw, that's so sweet coming from an old lady." He teased. Another snowball in his chest. He laughed and came closer to me. As he approached, he pulled off his hoodie. "Hey, you're gonna need this a lot more than me." He said, handing it to me.

"Oh, no, no. It's okay. I'll be fine." I refused politely. He shook it at me a bit.

"Come on. You're shivering. How are you gonna save anyone if you can't save yourself, you old goof." He chuckled. I wrinkled my nose and finally took the coat. It practically swallowed me. Sans laughed lightly. "Aw man, I didn't think it'd be that big on ya. Sorry." He paused. "Hey, before you leave this place, you should visit Snowdin and meet my brother. I still need to help Tori move some of her things to the castle. I'll see you later, okay?"  
I nodded. I know I should be searching for that kid, but... There's no harm in taking a break, right? He turned to leave, but something just buzzed at the back of my head...

"How did you know that I was... Different?" I asked. Sans was quiet for a moment, then shrugged.

"I've got a talent for reading faces, I guess." He replied, his smile seemed to grow. In a blink of an eye, he vanished. No sound, no lingering presence, just gone. I looked at the hoodie. It was surprisingly soft. I hope I'll see him again.


	4. Chapter 4

_To the north of here: Ice  
To the west of here: Ice_  
 _To the East of here: Snowdin  
..._  
 _And ice.  
_

Huh, what a useful sign... With Sans' coat shielding me from the cold, it was a breeze traveling this far. The hoodie was big enough that it covered most of my legs, but not anything below my knees. So he said he had a brother who lived here... And Snowdin would have been the place where Toriel and I might have said good-bye, if I had stayed with her. To be honest though, I'm still not sure if I should have stayed there or not. Something seemed to be pulling me somewhere.  
Suddenly, a group of small monsters came running down the path. I just barely got out of the way in time before they trampled me.

"Come on, we're gonna miss it!" One cried.

"We're not gonna miss it! Ms. Alphys said it was okay!" Another replied.

"Undyne's still gonna be mad if we're late!"

Late? For what? And why are these children so concerned, but excited. A little yellow monster with no arms tripped and fell into the snow. I scurried over to help, but they got up on their own.

"Guys! Wait up for me!" They screeched as they rushed to rejoin the group. Curious, I followed them up north. Unfortunately, I lost sight of them before I could reach the rest of the group. Suddenly, there was an uproar of laughter and cheers. I followed the sound before I could get lost again. I didn't get there in time to see the event though, judging from the little monsters heading back to Snowdin.

"Undyne is so cool!" One sighed dreamily.

"I know, but Papyrus is much cooler! He helped me get along with my big brother once!" Another said.

"Papyrus is pretty funny too, but not like his big brother! Sans is the coolest one!"

As the children debated on which one was the coolest, I went to check out where the event was held. I saw a snowman, a tall skeleton in what seemed to be cardboard armor, and a fish-like monster wearing an eye patch. I hid behind a tree and crouched down. The other skeleton must be Sans' brother, but... Who's the fish monster? Undyne? The fish monster sighed in satisfaction.

"Good workout Pap! That atta teach those kids how to get fit!" She stated, wearing a big, proud grin. The tall skeleton smiled bashfully.

"Aw, shucks Undyne, it was nothing. Besides, anything to help the Royal School's PE class!" There was a small pause. "Whatever PE stands for." Undyne shrugged.

"Beats me. I'll ask Alphys about it later. I gotta get back to the school before Toriel gets back there." She said. With that said, they exchanged farewells and Undyne left. Papyrus rested a hand on his hip and tapped his foot as he muttered to himself.

"Sans should be here by now. Hope he didn't take another nap. Last time, those kids made him into a snowman!" I held back a giggle, imagining Sans in a pile of snow with only his head sticking out and a pair of twigs at his side. Unfortunately, I couldn't stop a snort of laughter. The skeleton heard me and turned towards my direction. I jolted up, startled, and fell face-first into the snow.  
"Sans? Is that you? Have you been here this whole time you lazybones?" I heard him approach me. For some reason, I couldn't move. I felt my heart race and a chill down my spine. Am I still afraid? No, I shouldn't be, right?  
Suddenly, I was lifted up by the hood and saw nothing but white. As the snow fell from my face, and I was face-to-skull with Sans' brother-

" _ **EEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAH!**_ "

* * *

"Sans?" Toriel questioned, her floppy ears slightly perked up. The said skeleton turned his attention to her.

"Sup Tori?"

"Did you hear that?" She wondered. "It sounded like a bird in danger." Sans shrugged.

"I didn't hear anything, and you know me- I'm all ears." She replied with a grin. Toriel snorted, holding back her laughter. She shouldn't laugh if the bird was in trouble, but she couldn't contain it any longer.

* * *

After I made poor Papyrus deaf for a few seconds, he took me to his house and planted me on the couch. I felt terrible. I thought I was over my fear of skeletons. Well, I guess since I didn't know him that well... I mean, I now know that Sans is a total dork, but I really don't know anything about his brother. Still, the guilt was stuck to my heart like a pin in a cushion. He's been in his room for a while now... The television before me showed a feminine robot performing a drama/cooking show. It was bizarre, but I couldn't seem to turn away. Guess this guy knows what he's doing.  
Finally, Papyrus came out of his room, carrying a tower of blankets. I couldn't even see his face. Was he mad? Was he upset? He turned around and placed the blankets down of the coffee table. I bit my lip, unsure what to say. Finally, when I worked up enough courage to say something, he wrapped a blanket around me, pulled my hood off and put another blanket around my head like a towel.

"There! You'll feel warmer in no time!" He gleamed. He's not mad? Or sad? Or upset at all? He's... Glad? Papyrus looked down at me when I didn't say anything. "No? Still cold? Here, have another!" He wrapped another blanket around me. Oh my God, he's a dork too. A nice dork.

"Thank you." I managed to murmur. He seemed happy with that reply. "Sorry for screaming... I was... I..."

"You were scared?" Papyrus suggested. I bit my lip and nodded. "That's okay! I'm the the one who should be sorry for startling you!" He replied. Good God he might be the nicest dork I've ever met.

"Still, I shouldn't have screamed." I stated.

"Why? It was an amazing battle cry!"

Maybe too nice.  
Well, as long as I'm here, it wouldn't hurt if I stayed here for a bit, right?


	5. Chapter 5

After a quick rest, I was up and about with Papyrus. Now, I was with him in the kitchen, helping him cook. I wasn't really sure what we were making, but it was fun. Eventually, I found out it was spaghetti. I remembered how my grandpa would make it. It felt my heart sank a little. I never was really close to my grandpa, but we would always cook whenever I visited. I miss them...

"Hey, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" Papyrus asked, placing a hand on my back. Damn, I didn't know I was crying. I wiped my eyes using the sleeves of Sans' jacket. "No, no. Here, this is better." He said gently, handing me a handkerchief. I took it and wiped my eyes.

"S-Sorry... I just... I miss home..." I answered, my voice breaking up. "I'm... I'm having a lot of fun though... You've been so nice... Everyone has been so nice..." I almost can't believe how nice ever monster has been. I have never felt so welcomed and safe, even with my family. I miss them, sure, but at the same time I don't want to leave.

"It's okay. One day this barrier will be gone and you can go home! Everything will be okay!" Papyrus beamed. Barrier? I didn't run into a barrier when I came here. "So for now human," Papyrus took the handkerchief back and placed his hands on my shoulders. "We can be your family! So, no more tears, right?" I felt my heart swell. It hurt, but... I couldn't help but to smile. I can't believe I was ever afraid of this guy. Or his brother. They were both just sweet dorks. I left the kitchen to go wash my face. Then, I realized something.  
Since I've been here, no one has actually treated me like a child. I look the part, and I know in some cases I act the part, but... Not a single time was I treated like a child. Toriel offered me a choice, to stay with her or leave. Then Sans gave me the chance to lie or tell the truth. Now, Papyrus was offering comfort I've only seen given to older people. Most of the time, people treat children like they are stupid. People treat children like they don't know anything. I can't tell you how many times someone from my family treated me like a child. They didn't understand that I wanted to learn. This whole experience... I really don't want to leave now.

"Sans! It's about time you came home! What took so long?" I heard Papyrus from the kitchen. Curious, I peeked out from the bathroom, seeing a snow covered Sans. "Did the kids make you into a snowman again?"

"Nah. I was just _snowdin._ " Sans responded with a grin. A long, frustrated sigh came from Papyrus. Snowdin...? Oh, snowed in. I get it now!

"Really?" Papyrus grunted. Sans snickered. I finally stepped out of the bathroom. Sans looked over at me, showing mild surprise.

"Oh hey, you're still here." He stated. "Did the jacket keep you warm enough?" I nodded, smiling.

"Thank you, again." I said.

"Alrighty! Dinner is almost done, so, prepare to be amazed by the great meal that I, the great Papyrus, and the human have created!" Papyrus declared as he returned to the kitchen. I giggled at his enthusiasm and hopped on the couch. Sans sat on the other end.

"So, be honest with me. How cool do you think Pap is?" He asked.

"Pretty cool! He's really nice and we spent all day getting everything for dinner! The rest of the time we were cooking and it's really fun!" I beamed, the smile never leaving. Sans' permanent grin seemed to grow.

"Awesome. He's pretty cool like that. So, did you finally save whoever you were looking for?" Oh shit, I forgot about the kid. I shook my head and got to thinking. Ever since that dream, I began to question if that child was even real... Was I just hearing things? Was this kid just a figment of my imagination or something like that?

"I haven't found them yet. I just... I don't know where they could be..." I answered. Sans nodded solemnly and leaned back in the couch.

"Don't worry, I'm pretty sure you'll find them. Old people are pretty stubborn like that." I threw a pillow at him while he cackled.

"Bonehead..." I muttered, crossing my arms.

"What, it didn't hit your funny bone?" Sans chuckled.

"Nah, it wasn't very humerus." I responded, grinning.

"OH MY GOD!" Papyrus cried in the kitchen.

 **. . .**

After dinner, I was allowed to crash on the couch. Beside the couch was a stack of blankets. On the coffee table were a few old Sci-FY comic books. I wrapped myself up in a little blanket cocoon and glanced at the comic books before me. The corners were curled and the color on the front cover seemed a little washed out. It showed a woman being carried off by an alien/cyborg creature, and the bold hero chasing after them. It looked incredibly cheesy, but I guess I can take a look. Later. Sans came down the stairs; his footsteps sounded heavy.

"Hey there little lady. Can't sleep?" He guessed. I nodded in reply. To be honest, I was a little worried to go to sleep. The last dream I had was kind of freaky, but that wasn't the only reason. Today just went by so fast that it still felt too early. I just wasn't tired. "For once, neither can I." He responded.

"Just not tired?" I suggested. He shook his head.

"Nah, it's... It's some other stuff. Stuff that I don't like thinking about." He sighed, leaning against the stair's rail. "I don't wanna bother you with it. It's kinda... Complicated." Though he's still smiling, I can see through it. I saw weariness, perhaps even lost. I wondered if he always looked like that... Smiling, but worn out.

"Have you vented to somebody about this?" I asked. He shrugged.

"Once, before you came, there was this kid. A good kid. They understood a lot of stuff that I've been thinking about. Never got their name... They left before I could even ask..." His smile began to fade a little, but I could tell he was still trying.

"You can talk to me, if you want. I'm not a kid, you know." I offered. He looked up at me. The silence between us hung in the air for a while. Just when I began to think the silence was going to choke me, Sans shuffled over, sat beside me and began to ramble on. He talked about stuff like timelines, multiple outcomes, and resetting timelines to create a new outcome. He talked about his feelings about the barrier, about the child before me, his brother and his frustrations on trying to understand the timelines. He talked about wanting to help out as he can, now the the child was gone. He talked about how much he missed the previous royal scientist, because he understood things much easier. Over time, his smile began to vanish. When he was finished, his eyes lost its normal light.

"I just..." Sans paused for a second. "I just want everyone to be happy for once... Pap tries his hardest and he tells me he's really okay, but... He can't be thrilled we're still here, y'know...? Ever since I promised Tori to protect any kid that fell into the Underground, I... I've been wanting to work harder... But it's really not as easy as I thought..." He sighed.  
My heart was breaking. Not a single tear shed, but I can tell how much he's hurting. He's been hurt so much, that the pain is just numbing to him. He feels empty, having only a soul. He glanced at me, the light in his eyes came back instantly.

"Hey! Why are you crying? If anyone here should be crying, it should be me. Why-?"

"B-Because..." I croaked. "I-I wanna help! I know how you feel and, I-I wanna help... It sucks feeling like this alone, and I'm glad you told me, b-but..." I paused to wipe my nose, but I couldn't finish. Sans sighed and smiled a little. He got up and got a box of tissues for me.

"You're such a crybaby..." He chuckled. I wasn't even mad. I blew my nose, wiped my tears away and looked up at him.

"You should talk to Papyrus about this. He's your brother. He should know how you feel." I said to him. Sans nodded solemnly.

"I know. I just don't know how yet. I'll figure it out." He replied. "Done with the waterworks?" I nodded. "Okay." He placed the box on the coffee table. "Hey, thanks for letting me get that off my chest. I feel... A bit more better now. I've talked with the kiddo before, but not like this. So, really, thanks."

"Anytime." I sighed, smiling lightly. Sans' smile grew.

"Here I thought I didn't have no- _body_ to talk to." He chuckled. Back to normal, huh?

"Well, I suppose it's not every day something gets _under your skin._ " I threw back.

"Eh, it's my fault for being a _numb-skull_."

"Oh my God, that was so bad, you should be _pun-_ ished."

"OH MY GOD, SANS STOP CORRUPTING THE HUMAN WITH YOUR PUNS!" Papyrus screamed from his room. I tried to hold my laughter, but a snort escaped and soon enough both Sans and I were rolling on the couch laughing. I have a better understanding of this place now and how it has affected on others, but I still don't exactly know why I'm here. All I know is, I never want to leave now.


	6. Chapter 6

_There was a child, sitting in a gray room. They were curled up in a little ball with their head in their lap. As I drew close, the child's head rose. Their eyes were wet, but not a tear fell._

 _"Who are you?" I asked. The child was quiet. Then, in a frail voice, they said,_

 _"Frisk..." They paused, hugging their knees tighter. "This is all my fault..." I kneeled to the child, questions ringing in my head._

 _"Am I dreaming? Is this real? ... Are you real?" Frisk laid their head in their knees as they curled themselves up tighter._

 _"Yes and no... This place exists, but you're not really here... They probably brought you here. It doesn't matter though... The whole reason you're here is because of me..." Frisk muttered. There was so much I wanted to ask, but I somehow knew this wouldn't last. _

_"How can I save you Frisk?" I asked. The child shook their head as their shoulders began to quiver._

 _"As long as they are here... You can't save me... Save them... Save the monsters." Frisk raised their head suddenly. "Forget about me! Forget this place! FoR- G-G-G-G-GeT E-E-E-EvErrrrRYthiiiiiiiiiiing..."_

 _The room's shape began to change its shape. Sudden blotches of colour and static and the room returned to gray. The only thing that changed, was who was in the room with me. A tall monster with asymmetrical cracks in their skull. Their lower body appeared to be melted to the floor. They looked straight at me._

 _"Never forget." When he spoke, his deep voice echoed throughout the room. Everything suddenly went pitch black.  
_

 **. . .**

I jolted awake. I didn't know how long a slept, but as much as I hated to do this, I knew I had to leave. I left a note on the coffee table, explaining myself and why I couldn't bring myself to say good-bye to their faces. I was about to leave when...

"You're leaving? So soon...?" Shit. I slowly turned to Papyrus and looked up at him.

"I... I'm sorry. I don't like saying good-byes... I have to go, because..." I stammered. I have no idea how to explain this to him... Papyrus pat my head.

"Then don't say good-bye. Just say... 'I'll see you later!'" He chimed. "I may not know why you're leaving, human... But, I know it's to do great things! You seem like that type of person." Dammit Papyrus, why are you making it so difficult for me to leave? I want to stay, you have no idea how much I want to stay. Yet, I have to. I have to save Frisk. I have to save whatever monster that was. I have to... That's why I'm here after all, right?

"Okay... I'll see you later Papyrus. Tell Sans I'll se him later too, okay?" I said, putting on my best smile. Papyrus nodded.

"Of course! Just be careful okay? Hm... Hold on a second." He darted to his room and quickly came back with a sweater. "It'll be really cold here on out. You'll need this more than me!" He put it over my head and I did the rest. The sweater was big enough to actually call it a dress on me. I keep forgetting I had the body of a child. "You take care now, okay?"

"Okay. I'll see you around Papyrus!" I said. He saw me off. When I was far enough where he couldn't see me, I felt my heart plummet. I hope Sans is okay after last night... Nevertheless... He knew I had to keep going eventually... After that dream last night... Who was Frisk talking about? Was it that other monster? Or... The other child from my first dream? I stopped in my tracks. Come to think of it, the child from the first dream didn't appear in this one. Who was the other one...? As I pondered on, I didn't even realize where I was going. It was suddenly dark and the air seemed stagnate. It wasn't until a single drop of water fell onto my head. A cave... It was beautiful. The crystals in the walls and the ceiling of the cave was astounding. It looked like a place in a fairy-tale book. That's it. After all this, I'm moving here. This is absolutely perfect. In the corner of my eye, I saw a white figure float by. Curious, I followed where it went.  
I followed the figure to a strange, little house. The only way I could describe the shape of the house is... Well... A depressed ghost. From inside, I faintly heard some music playing. It was a simple little tune, but pretty catchy. I walked up to the house and knocked. From inside, I heard a voice,

"Oh... I must be playing the music too loudly..." In a slightly louder voice, it said, " Sorry...!" Followed by, "Oh... I hope they didn't think I was yelling at them... Sigh..." Someone desperately needs a hug. Seriously. I knocked on the door. There was an odd silence before the door opened. A little ghost poked his head out.

"Um, hello..!" I said, trying to be cheerful.

"Hello... Um... Are you here because the music is too loud...? I said I was sorry... Did you not hear me...?" The ghost asked.

"No, no! I actually like it." I replied.

"Oh... Okay... Then, um... Why are you here? I'm sorry... That sounded rude... You can come inside if you want..."

So, you know what? I did. How can I say no? The poor thing needed a hug... So I stayed for a good while with him. Found out his name was Napstablook and he likes music. During my visit, he offered if I would participate in one of his family traditions: laying on the floor and feeling like garbage. Sure, why not? It was a good time. Got to know myself on a deeper level. The world was much more understanding. I'm pretty sure everything I said here was only halfly true. Oddly. To sum up Napstablook's visiting time, it was short and sweet, but oddly... Enjoyable? Interesting? I... I can't find the right words. We didn't even do much, but... I dunno... I'm pretty spooked out now and I don't know how to deal with it.  
The rest of the cave was flawless and stunning. I was surprised to see flowers and even a little village here. Though... I don't think I want to talk about the village. It was cute and nothing bad happened, but... I think my dream I had last night made more sense than this village. Oh well. The place was beautiful... I don't think there are any words to describe how stunning this place is... As I was making my way through the waterfall cave, I came upon a door. The door was so out of place. I had a bad feeling about this door, but I can't explain why. Maybe... Maybe I'll come back for it later.

"Where are you going? Don't leave..." I jumped and turned back to the door, where I saw it slam shut. I didn't even hear it open... "You'll come here eventually... They always do..." The voice sounded similar to a child's, but is seemed to be slightly distorted. It was enough to make my skin crawl. I ran away without thinking.


End file.
